Happiest cat is from Northampton

Yvonne Martin

A national competition to find the happiest cat has been won by a moggy from Northampton.

Lucius, who was injured in a road accident two months ago and nearly died, beat all his rivals in the competition run by O2.

Following a rigorous audition process in front of a judging panel including celebrity cat lover Sarah Harding he took the prize.

Despite suffering from a ‘miserable’ road accident two months ago, the winning cat managed to woo judges. Lucius was given the title of UK’s Happiest Cat after impressing the judges with his bright two toned eyes, soft fur, whisker length, calm temperament and warm ‘dog like’ personality.

Lucius will now become the feline face of the next phase of O2’s £8m advertising campaign for O2 Refresh tariff.

Having flashed his striking grin once again for the cameras, Lucius will soon be enjoying the good life and a year’s supply of cat food.

Lucius’ smile will feature on major digital billboard sites Holborn Eye and The Two Towers on May 21.

The story of Lucius’ road to fame is also told in a short documentary launched alongside his big break. The short film chronicles the tough road to recovery Lucius’ walked.

Jess Revitt, Lucius’ owner and a sixth form student from Northampton said: “Just two months ago Lucius was run over and nearly died. We thought he’d never smile again. Now, after a miraculous recovery our beautiful cat will be famous in an O2 Refresh advert and using his smile to cheer up the nation. I couldn’t be more proud of my best friend.”

Having been a mentor to Lucius in the audition process the actress, singer, cat lover and talent spotter Sarah Harding is now expecting big things to come from this cat. She said: “His story and energy made sure he was a cat’s whisker ahead of the competition. I can see great things in his future – keep smiling Lucius!”

O2 are now expecting Lucius to have a big fan base. Kat Ward-Smith, Head of Creative at O2, was also part of the judging panel. She said: “We were overwhelmed by the response for our search for the UK’s Happiest Cat. Our Be More Dog campaign has shown us that cats should not be pigeonholed as grumpy. We think Lucius’ happy winning smile mirrors the feeling O2 Refresh gives our customers as they discover that their bills have dropped because they’ve paid off the cost of their phone - saving an average of £216 a year.”